FASHION Magazine

Check out G-Star Raw’s debut flagship store (328 Queen St. W., 416-977-8828, g-star.com) for all of your blues and beyond. This large industrial space (think concrete, steel and wood) houses the brand’s full fashion spectrum, from its street style–inspired women’s and men’s collections to footwear and accessories. Stop by the denim wall and pick up a pair of noir Arc 3d Super Skinny jeans: Clémence Poésy, the French actress known for her role on Gossip Girl, rocks this style in the brand’s spring campaign.

Meredith Marks knows how to shine. A former model, the Chicago-based accessories designer (and mother of three) launched her eponymous jewellery line in 2010. Since then, her modern-meets-vintage sparklers (hello, white-diamond and rose-gold teardrop earrings) have been spotted on A-listers such as Jennifer Aniston and Courteney Cox. Now, they’re swinging this side of the border. From May 4 to 13, Holt Renfrew is hosting an exclusive Meredith Marks (meredithmarks.com) trunk show at its flagship location (50 Bloor St. W., 416-922-2333, holtrenfrew.com).

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For those of you (and we hope it was all of you) who were wondering why Fashion Week favourite Philip Sparks wasn’t anywhere to be found on the official or unofficial schedules, rest assured, it wasn’t because he closed up shop. In fact, it’s quite the opposite. Freshly launched for spring, the tailor extraordinaire has opened his first freestanding store just off of the über-hip Ossington Avenue strip in Toronto. With its large and brightly lit arrow outside, its antique typewriters and its raw wood displays framing the designer’s wears, the shop is as sweet as one might assume. And it’s chockfull of his delightful spring collections for men and women to boot. Haven’t got any plans this weekend? Well, now you do!

Last night, Toronto’s favourite wunderkind-turned-blogger-turned-photographer-turned-designer returned home for the celebration of his latest venture. Said venture? The much-talked-about limited-edition bag collection designed by Tommy Ton in collaboration with Club Monaco (also one of Toronto’s proudest exports, if we may say so). But you knew that, didn’t you? In fact, you must be on the already-at capacity waiting list for one of the two models, which will apparently sell out as soon as they hit stores. That didn’t stop the city’s finest—including our editor-in-chief Bernadette Morra, blogger Anita Clarke, Jeremy Laing and the recently eye-operated-on Frank Griggs (so you can forgive the indoor sunglasses, just this once) —from stopping by the brand’s Bloor Street flagship to take a peek. We didn’t leave with the bags, but we were lucky enough to snag mini flipbooks created at the event.

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Strategic cut-outs, thigh-high slits and body-con shapes: Sébastien Peigné and Nicola Formichetti of Mugler are bringing sexy back.

Reviving Mugler is a monster task. After designer Thierry Mugler took his final runway bow at his couture show in July 2000, this kinky house of cool (remember Demi Moore’s bondage-style dress in 1993’s Indecent Proposal?) started flatlining. Ten years later, the resuscitation began. In 2010, following months of speculation, Nicola Formichetti (Lady Gaga’s stylist) was tapped to lead the revival of the French house known for its over-the-top theatricality and sex appeal. Besides outfitting Mother Monster, this 34-year-old half-Italian, half-Japanese, techno-savvy superstar is also the fashion director for Vogue Hommes Japan and global retailer Uniqlo. His debut Mugler womenswear show during Fall 2011 Paris Fashion Week had the twitterverse buzzing about its latex-dipped leggings, body-stocking dresses and the catwalk pièce de résistance: Gaga, smoking in every sense of the word.

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Last week it was announced that Jason Wu would bring his Target collab to Toronto for one-day-only at a pop up on King Street on Thursday. Today, we’re briefing you on exactly what to expect. Check out these looks, as promised to be available in full (handbags excluded). While the prices for each piece are not available yet, the entire collection will range between $10 and $45 and proceeds of the sale will go to the United Way of Toronto. And don’t fret if something you want is missing from our list—more items will be available on Thursday!

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Holy moly, this city just keeps getting better and better! Just when Torontonians thought we’d been shut out of the Jason Wu for Target madness, it seems that we had it coming all along! Next Thursday February 23, the golden boy himself will be bringing his collab to the city, for a one-day-only shopping event at a pop up location at 363 King Street West. Doors will open at noon, but we suggest you start lining up right about now. If the hullabaloo south of the border earlier this month taught us anything, it’s to get in early and bring our fashion warrior attitudes along with.

Tonight through Sunday, the certified design-conscious Gladstone Hotel in Toronto is hosting their annual alternative design event, called Come Up To My Room. Artists and designers are handpicked by event curators and given free range to go wild in one of 25 rooms and public spaces throughout the hotel. With past whimsical installations including a ceiling of hanging jellyfish and a room full of tennis balls, you’ll certainly have your imagination stretched further than you ever expected.

See 5 of our top picks for exhibits to check out »

It’s out with the old and in with new for consignment queen Lauren Baker and her much loved shop, LAB Consignment. The store will be moving from its 15 Ossington Avenue location as a shop-within-a-shop at Silver Falls Vintage to newer, bigger digs at 1956 Avenue Road (that’s Avenue and Lawrence, for the geographically challenged). […]

The post Toronto’s LAB Consignment is moving to bigger location. Designer vintage for all! appeared first on FASHION Magazine.

Judging from spring’s lip-smacking lineup of candy-floss hues (peach at 3.1 Phillip Lim, lemon at Preen, mint at Louis Vuitton), now’s the time to indulge in something sweet. Update your lingerie drawer with pretty pastel pieces like this pink frosted bra ($35) from Triumph (triumph.com). Perfect for those who prefer a little sugar with their spice.

By Jason Anderson.
Editor: Rani Sheen.

It was only recently that Shay Mitchell became someone who might get recognized by fans in public, so it’s understandable that she finds it all “a little weird.”

“Sometimes they’ll walk by you the first time and not say anything, but just stare at you,” says the star of Pretty Little Liars, a high school–set mystery series that’s swiftly become essential viewing for teens and a guilty pleasure for TV fans outside the demographic. “For a while I was thinking, ‘Do I have something on my face? Do I have toilet paper hanging off my shoe?’” she says. “It’s very flattering. I like to stop and chit-chat.”

Boxing Day: It strikes fear in the hearts of retail workers, and trumps Christmas celebrations for all bargain addicts. For the rest of us, it’s an opportunity to pick up what our well-meaning significant others didn’t end up buying us for the holidays. If you are willing to brave the cold, the lineups (like the one pictured above at Toronto’s Eaton Centre), and the inevitable Christmas hangover, here are some shops that you should check out.